Norton woman found dead on New Year’s Day had seen doctor about depression — (Staffs Live)

Staffs Live

Tom Burnett

Posted on September 25, 2015

A Stoke-on-Trent woman whose body was found behind a primary school on New Year’s Day, had been prescribed anti-depressants, an inquest heard.

Mental health support worker Jennifer Turner, known to her family as Jen, was found hanged behind Ball Green Primary School by a dog walker on January 1 2015.

North Staffordshire Coroner’s Court heard the 31-year-old, of St Nicholas Avenue, Norton, had fallen out with her partner, Joanna Parker, before going to a New Year’s Eve party at her sister Theresa Turner’s home on Sproston Street, Chell.

Joanna Parker, Jennifer’s partner, said they had had a “discussion” before the party about a pair of jeans Jennifer had wanted to wear.

Joanna then drove Jennifer to her parents house, where she dropped in before attending the party.

Joanna said: “We were going to go together but she started getting erratic in the car and arguing so I just told her to go to the party on her own and I would see her later.”

Jennifer’s sister, Theresa, said in a statement her sister had drank a quantity of alcohol and left the party in a taxi just before 3am.

The inquest heard that Jennifer would become angry when discussing her mother Eileen’s cancer and had once told a colleague she could not cope.

Eileen was diagnosed in 2012 and died in June this year, aged 63.

In a statement read out at the inquest, Jennifer’s GP Dr Philip Blaxter said she had been to see him several times about “anxiety and depression” and she had been prescribed anti-depressants.

During the inquest, Jennifer’s father Paul Turner said she had shown no signs of wanting to end her own life when she dropped into her parents’ home briefly before attending the party.

He said: “She left a bottle of vodka and said ‘we will have this tomorrow night’.

“That was the last I saw of her.”

A pathologist’s report confirmed the cause of death was hanging.

North Staffordshire Assistant Coroner Margaret Jones recorded the death as suicide.

She said: “I am sure on the evidence I have before me that Jenn did take her own life.

“She was dropped off in an unknown part of Norton.

“It would appear that she then walked to the field at the rear of Ball Green Primary School.

“I record a verdict of suicide.”

Speaking after the inquest, Jennifer’s father Mr Turner said he carried a picture of her in his wallet.

The 66-year-old, of Norton, said: “She was brilliant, she was lovely and full of life.